Safely transporting sports equipment is a concern for many sports enthusiasts. For example, transporting a bicycle by automobile has many safety concerns. If a bicycle rack were to become disconnected from a vehicle while driving it could damage the rack and a bicycle being transported and affect the safety of other motorists. One way to secure a rack to a vehicle is to insert an insert bar into a hitch on the vehicle and insert a pin through corresponding holes in the insert bar and the hitch. Depending on the strength of the person attaching the rack, the weight of the rack, and other environmental conditions, it can be difficult to secure the rack with the pin. Various embodiments of the technology enable a pin to easily and securely attach a rack to a hitch.
Sometimes a receiver on a vehicle hitch is larger than the insert portion of a carrier rack. For example, a hitch-rack load carrier may be 1.25 square inches at its lead-in end, while the corresponding aperture on the hitch might be 2 square inches. Various embodiments of the technology pertain to a hitch assembly with an expander to enable a suitable connection between a hitch and a carrier. Various embodiments of the technology pertain to an adapter assembly which can enable a suitable connection between a hitch and a carrier.